Howie’s difficulties with eating go WAY back – starting when he was nine months old and wouldn’t eat anything with chunks in it. Stage 3 baby food? Not happening. Gagging and vomiting led to complete refusal of many foods. Add in his intolerance to anything made with corn, and his diet was extremely limited almost from the start.

And he has a long institutional memory for all things that made him vomit. He knows exactly when he gagged on a strawberry for the last time, and can tell me in great detail why a cracker made him puke (it was wet).

But we have a few go-to foods. Pizza. Crackers. Granola bars. Cocoa Krispies.

Don’t judge.

A few weeks ago, Tim was sitting at the table, eating some chips and salsa.

And then words I never thought I’d hear.

“Can I have some salsa?”

Tim and I exchanged glances, figuring this would never fly. The chunky tomatoes and peppers. The spices. The dipping of the chip into the salsa.

We gave him a bowl of corn-free veggie chips and some salsa.

Yup. Miracles can happen. Three bowls of salsa and 40 chips later I’m a believer.

Because holy crap, my kid ate salsa.

“Food, glorious food! Hot sausage and mustard! While we’re in the mood — Cold jelly and custard! Pease pudding and saveloys! What next is the question? Rich gentlemen have it, boys — In-di-gestion!” – Food Glorious Food from Oliver

Hooray for salsa!!! Matthew is 10, and for years he would eat a Subway sub with only meat and cheese. Now he is up to at least 10 items, but still no condiments. It has taken years, but it is gradually widening on most things. Little victories. Hooray!

My son wouldn’t eat salad until he went away to a statewide Leadership conference for high school students with varying disabilities (not just autism). There he was cajoled/joked into trying salad, and he found that he liked it. When he was a baby, he would only eat bland baby foods (potatoes, meat dishes, rice). Nothing that was tart (like fruit). Sometimes it is amazing what suddenly happens. Congratulations.

You have got to be kidding me!!!! That is awesome stuff right there! I’d be going out and buying that salsa by the caseload. But keep in mind it would have to be the exact same brand and lot number…..

I remember once when Alex was first trying solids and my MIL kept trying to feed him and “teach” me how it was done. After trying to tell her numerous times to knock it off, he’d puke, I got fed up. We went out to dinner at this uber fancy restaurant and she force fed him mashed potatoes. I sat back and waited. That stuff shot out of him like a spigot all over her. While it upset me to see him sick up, it gave me greater pleasure it was all over her.

Oh my gosh, I SO get this. I cried the first time my kid ate a meatball (shut up, I’m a sap). It’s so amazing when they actually add something new to their repertoire. Yay for you, what an great story!

I LOVE his play-by-play on dipping and eating the chip. AND the thoroughly chewing and swallowing before he answered how it was, adorable! What a sweet little man you have there. (And YAY for new foods!)